Low Calorie Recipes: Dessert Sauces & Dips Part II

Low Calorie Recipes: Dessert Sauces & Dips Part II

In my last post on 0 calorie desserts and syrups (here) I reviewed Walden Farms Caramel Syrup and their Chocolate Dip products. Today I wan’t to add three more products to the on going reviews that I think can be of great help to those who are attempting to get very lean for the summer, like myself.

Once again I ordered from The Low Carb Grocery and received my products the morning after. I absolutely love their service!

Before I go on to review the dessert and syrup products I want to repeat myself to those who might have missed my post on Store Bought Salad Dressings Part III.

Nutrient Density and Empty Calories?

Before you drill me for advocating more nutrition-less products containing artificial sweeteners and other “chemicals” I wan’t to make it very clear where I am coming from.

First off from a soley scientific based approach, these ingredients and foods have all been proven to be completely safe when consumed under the recommended acceptable daily intake (ADI). And I am talking about randomized tightly controlled clinical trials using BOTH human and animal testing.

If you or anyone you know has tried products like these and has gotten a negative reaction then I recommend taking a critical look at other parts of your diet FIRST before judging them and IF you’re sure its an ingredient in one of these products then don’t eat it, plain and simple. These products are NOT poison but if you get a negative reaction from it then don’t consume it. But stop telling everyone else it is poison and that they should avoid consuming it, even in moderation.

Going to extreme levels of body fat like sub 10% if a male (and closer to 4-6%) is damn hard for a lot of people. These products can not only make your food taste better but can allow you to stay on track during difficult times when eating around family at events and what not (Family BBQ’s anyone?)

Nutrition extremists like to claim that because a food is so called “NOT nutrient dense” this means it is not optimal or not healthy. Well to be perfectly clear here there is NO definite definition on what classifies a food to be nutrient dense or not. [1] There is however a new Nutrient Rich Foods Index (NRFI) which attempts to do such thing, but it too is not perfect. [2]

If you’re consuming the needed nutrients from all the vegetables and whole foods you should be eating then having nutrition-less “condiments” is NOT going to kill you and may actually allow you to eat MORE of these “healthy” and life extending foods. Moderation might be cliche but like with other things in life, it is a fine balance between polar opposites.

I am NOT claiming that these products taste perfect or are exactly like their originals but they do “help” flavouring your favourite Low Calorie Recipes and they especially taste pretty good when MIXED with foods.

On To The Products

Blueberry Syrup:

Smell: had a mild and berry like aroma close to that of grape medicine (let that be a warning)

Taste: it did not taste like it smelled but had a taste close to like that of left over water from de-thawed frozen blueberries only more sweet

– It had a small tangy sensation in the back of throat but not too bad and didn’t linger

Texture: Thicker than water but not as thick as the pancake syrup

– I would consider buying this for dieting when eating pancakes and waffles as a 0 calorie substitute

Pancake Syrup:

Smell: had a distinct light maple syrup smell

Taste: it tasted like a mild maple syrup taste or more so like mimicking the artificial aunt jemima stuff

Texture: it was surprisingly thick like traditional pancake syrup but still more liquidy

– I would buy this again for waffles and pancakes on occasion when dieting for extreme levels of low body fat

Chocolate Syrup:

Smell: it had the same chocolate smell as the chocolate dip (distinct chocolate but different, like pudding)

Taste: wasn’t too bad but definitely NOT real chocolate. Does have a distinct chocolate pudding flavour so if craving it might be good on ice-cream or some other dessert

Texture: had a liquid syrup consistency unlike the Chocolate Dip which had more thickeners in it

– I probably wouldn’t buy this unless I was using it to pour over ice-cream or some dessert to avoid adding more sugar, fat, and calories

Favourites

I think out of all these syrups and dessert sauces including the caramel and chocolate dip I would recommend going with the:

1. Caramel Syrup for apples and for over cold desserts
2. Pancake Syrup for homemade waffles and pancakes which can be made in high protein and very low calorie forms
3. Blueberry Syrup, also for homemade waffles and pancakes
4. Chocolate syrup but not for on its own but for drizzling on cold desserts when the choco-cravings get too intense

Disclaimer: I am NOT at all affilated with The Low Carb Grocery or Walden Farms products, I just found their website and tried their service and products and was very pleased and I think many clients and people like you could benefit.

References:

1.  Miller GD, et al. It is time for a positive approach to dietary guidance using nutrient density as a basic principle. J Nutr. 2009 Jun;139(6):1198-202.

2. Fulgoni VL 3rd, et al. Development and validation of the nutrient-rich foods index: a tool to measure nutritional quality of foods. J Nutr. 2009 Aug;139(8):1549-54.